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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26533576">Of Age and On Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleArrowzandLeather/pseuds/PurpleArrowzandLeather'>PurpleArrowzandLeather</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Age of Adaline (2015)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Ending, Car Accidents, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Immortality</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:01:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,292</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26533576</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleArrowzandLeather/pseuds/PurpleArrowzandLeather</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Fate is a tricky thing. Sometimes, instead of "someday", it means forever.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adaline Bowman/Ellis Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Of Age and On Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I own nothing.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>          He’s going after her.  </p><p>          Ellis can’t, won’t, think about doing anything else until he finds her. He talked to his dad, but he didn’t get a definitive answer out of him either way. He’d been acting weird since he met Jenny, so he can’t say he was especially surprised.  </p><p>         <em> I’m sorry, Ellis. I can’t do this. I can’t explain. </em></p><p>          The words echo in his head, telling him things he can’t believe. Not yet. One thing he knows is he has to find her. He doesn’t need her to tell him she loves him back, but he needs a reason why. Why, why couldn’t she stay? What did he do? What went wrong? </p><p>          Thankfully, only one road lies between his house and the nearest station.  </p><p>          Ellis follows her path.  </p><p>         <em> Nothing makes sense without her. </em></p><p>         He’d told his father how he knew he loved Jenny, and it was because of that. He never knew he could love someone so much in such a short amount of time. She turned his world upside-down, and it’s a terrifying to know he may never find out if she felt the same about him. </p><p>******* </p><p>          Adeline smiles to herself, finishing up her call with her daughter. For years, she promised herself she wouldn’t fall in love again. Suddenly, like out of a dream, her long life brought her back to the Jones family. Being around William was hard, and having him tell her he knew she was Adeline and not Jenny was, frankly, terrifying. She didn’t know what to do, so she just did what she’s been doing her whole life. </p><p>          She ran.  </p><p>          But.... Adeline is tired of running. She wants a life with love, even if it’s temporary for her. </p><p>          Even without her new determination to have what she denied herself, she knows she loves Ellis. For so long, Adeline was afraid of being discovered. If anyone found out the truth, she and her daughter could never have lived peaceful lives.  </p><p>          Adeline sighs, tilting her head to look for cars and pulling out onto the road.  </p><p>          She notices the snow first, the air around her almost pulsing with familiarity. Driving in weather like this was what got her in trouble the first time, so she’s sure to be careful.  </p><p>          The drive is calm until she comes across a vehicle overturned in the ditch. No.... Not a ditch. It’s a culvert full of water. No one is around, and there aren’t any signs of another car being involved, but she stops. Adeline recognizes the Jeep’s plate as soon as she steps out of the Saab, calling for Ellis even though she knows, logically, he’s underwater by now.  </p><p>          “Ellis!” </p><p>          She waits by the water’s edge, leaping away when lightning strikes the surface. Unsure what she can do, she pulls out her phone to call an ambulance. It takes a moment to light up, but when it does, she realizes the snow has stopped in mid-air. Frozen in time. </p><p>          Ellis surfaces in the water. </p><p>          Adeline moves for him, helping him climb from the ditch. He gasps for breath, shivering and clutching himself for warmth. It doesn’t work all that well, so Adeline pulls him towards the Saab with rushed care.   </p><p>          “I-I was coming to f-find you.” Ellis manages. </p><p>          Rather than answer right away, Adeline turns the vehicle towards the nearest hospital. She risks a glance at him, his face red with cold and his hair matted down. “Ellis....” </p><p>          “I was serious, Jenny. I-I love you, and I’m not letting you go if you don’t give me a reason.” </p><p>          She manages a smile. “I’m not leaving, Ellis.” </p><p>          Ellis looks to her with surprise in his expression, water dripping off the edge of his nose. “You,... but your message. I thought you.... I thought....” He shakes his head, swallowing. “Why?” </p><p>          Adeline keeps her eyes on the road, not wanting to end up in more of a mess. “How about I make you a deal?” </p><p>          “.... Sure.” </p><p>          “Good. We’ll get you taken care of, and then,” Adeline smiles to herself, almost disbelieving the words she about to say. “I’ll explain everything.” </p><p>          The rest of the way to the hospital is mostly quiet, aside from the call Adeline makes to William. Ellis is admitted for care with a minimal amount of hassle, the doctors saying something about a concussion and a possible fracture. It sounds like they’ll only be keeping him overnight. </p><p>          William shows up within half an hour, following the doctor to the specified room. Adeline looks over at him, her hand looped with Ellis’s on the bed.  </p><p>          She stayed.  </p><p>          Adeline offers William a subtle nod, the old man smiling warmly at her as he joins them in the room. Ellis looks pleased, even if his eyes are a bit glazed and his arm is in a sling. Adeline’s smile is more careful than his, almost as if she’s hiding something. He can’t even fathom what it could be after all this time. Aside from immortality, but he already knows that one. </p><p>          William puts a hand on Ellis’s shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. “How’re you doing, kid?” </p><p>          “Feeling tired, but I’m under 24-hour observation.” </p><p>          “You got a concussion?” </p><p>          Ellis makes a noise. “It’s supposed to be minor, but they’re keeping me overnight anyway. Jenny isn’t about to let me leave anyway. Says weather like this is further cause to stay here.” </p><p>          William takes in the look on her face, finding something almost... nervous. “Well, Jenny is right.” </p><p>          “Thank you. At least one of you bears in mind common sense.” </p><p>          Ellis sighs. “I suppose, I might be a little impatient. After all, I’m still waiting on an explanation for all this. Goodness knows I’d like to solve at least one of your mysteries.” </p><p>          Adeline puffs out a laugh. “Don’t worry. I might cover more than one with this.” </p><p>          A swell of relief flows through William. She’s going to tell Ellis the truth. He supposes it should be more awkward for him than it is, but he wants her to be happy. He told her before she was a “near miss”, but he was for her as well. William knows it. His son doesn’t deserve to have the same thing happen to him because she was too scared to trust him. </p><p>          “William?” </p><p>          He struggles not to call her Adeline. “Yes?” </p><p>          “I need to speak with you.” </p><p>          They retreat to a quiet corner, still in view of Ellis’s room, but out of earshot. William tries not to seem too eager for whatever she’s about to tell him, but he has a feeling it’s good news. </p><p>          “I’m staying.” </p><p>          “Good.” </p><p>          That secretive smile returns. “I, uh.... I think there’s something else.” </p><p>          William nods.  </p><p>          “Whatever is was that happened to me: I think it happened to Ellis. There was the snow, water, and... there was lightning. And, for just a moment after the lightning struck, everything stood still.” </p><p>          “What? Are you sure?” </p><p>          “I saw it.” </p><p>          Adeline saw it. She looks over at Ellis, smiling with a short wave when the corners of his mouth tip up. He doesn’t know it yet, and she can’t be for sure, but there is hope. Adeline has traveled almost a hundred years without love, every day more lonely than the last. She couldn't fall in love. That's why she left William, and it's why she ran away from Ellis in the first place. She couldn't fall in love with someone who was only going to leave her alone in the end. </p><p>          Now?</p><p>          Now, Adeline has a light in the dark. It might take a few years to know, but she's willing to wait and see. She's been without an anchor all these years, but Ellis could fill the emptiness between her and the world. Like her, he'll be a flame that never flickers out.</p>
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